Guatemala’s Volcano of Fire erupted overnight, prompting authorities to evacuate nearly 300 families and issue warnings for an additional 30,000 people at risk. There have been no immediate reports of casualties.
The volcano expelled gas and ash high into the atmosphere on Monday, leading authorities to suspend school operations nearby and close a vital road connecting local communities.
“Some 30,000 people more or less are at risk in these three (jurisdictions) and we are trying to have them evacuate or self-evacuate,” stated Claudinne Ugalde, the disaster agency secretary in a news conference.
The primary threat from the volcano comes from lahars, destructive flows containing ash, rock, mud and debris that can completely overwhelm communities.
Standing at 12,300 feet (3,763 meters), Guatemala’s Volcano of Fire is among the most active in Central America. Located 33 miles (53 km) from the capital, it last erupted in June 2023.
According to Guatemala’s disaster agency early Monday, whilst the volcanic material flow remains weak to moderate, it is anticipated to intensify.
Earlier in 2018, a deadly eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano claimed 215 lives, with a similar number reported missing. Rivers of lava poured down its slopes, devastating the village of San Miguel Los Lotes.
(With inputs from agencies)